US scientists warn CIA on new generation of biological weapons

AFP ^ | Mon, Nov 17, 2003

[presidio9]

A group of US scientists has warned the Central Intelligence Agency (news - web sites) that recent advances in biotechnology could give life to "designer" biological weapons able to target selected groups of people, act with a delay and turn deadly in reaction to medicine, according to a CIA (news - web sites) document made public here.

The warning came during a closed-door seminar organized at the request of the CIA by the National Academy of Sciences (news - web sites) to devise strategies for dealing with the dangerous by-products of the so-called genomic revolution.

The spy agency would not disclose when and where the meeting occurred. But its unclassified account of the seminar was obtained by the Federation of American Scientists, a non-profit organization here, and dated November 3.

"The effects of some of these engineered biological agents could be worse that any disease known to man," the CIA report warned.

Scientists have cautioned that explosive growth in knowledge about genes and their functions could make traditional means of monitoring weapons of mass destruction obsolete, according to the document.

This could make weapons that currently exist only in science fiction novels real over the next decade.

These new tools of war were likely to include binary biological agents made up of two components that are relatively harmless separately but that become deadly when combined, according to the CIA account.

"A particularly insidious example would be a mild pathogen that when combined with its antidote becomes virulent," the report said.

It may well be possible in the future, experts explained, to design a virus that, acting alone, would cause just flu-like symptoms but that would turn deadly when its target takes an aspirin in the hopes of relieving a headache.

Other "designer" biological weapons could be taught to resist antibiotics, evade an immune response and permanently wreck a person's genetic make-up, the panelists told the CIA.

[AdmSmith]

This is what Ken Alibek has said for several years and he should know as he was involved in the Russian bio weapons research in Biopreparat.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/alibek_ken.shtml

[FreeInWV]

I'm worried about biogenic weapons. Practical technology has advanced to a very dangerous place. Right now there is a company in NY that will create a designer rat for anyone for $15k. (I couldn't find a reference but here http://www.copyrat.com.au is a reference to an Australian company that does the same thing). It can be genetically designed with an oversize liver, longer legs, larger brain or whatever. It has become readily available technology. Sounds innocent enough unless you have a devious mind. Then you start thinking about antibiotic resistant bacteria, parasites that attack fish, corn, wheat or rice and locusts designed to eat and reproduce at an exponential rate. Then it starts to sound like the book of Revelations.

[txhurl]

One thing about SARS I never got answered was the ethnic proportions of those killed or nearly killed. It seemed that Mongolian/Asian stock were the most susceptible, but I never saw a breakdown by 'race'.

This concerns me as American Eskimos, American Indians, Mexican Indians (and most of our Mexicans) are of Mongolian descent.

[joesnuffy]

Sounds innocent enough unless you have a devious mind.

Or live in a nation with no moral compass...or a nation that had one and is now in rapid moral decline...or a group of nations bound to serve one end..one govt...one master...

[Domestic Church]

"It may well be possible in the future, experts explained, to design a virus that, acting alone, would cause just flu-like symptoms but that would turn deadly when its target takes an aspirin in the hopes of relieving a headache."

Sounds like this already happened in SARs...great jumpin' johosaphat!

Rremember the aspirin connection with virulence...and the kidney disease angle?

[aristeides]

Was it ever confirmed that aspirin made SARS worse?

[Dog Gone]

I think it was only anecdotal evidence. I'm really curious to see if SARS makes a comeback in the next couple of months, or whether that was a one-time outbreak.

[TaxRelief]

I thought it was acetaminophen that reacted poorly with the SARS virus?

[Prince Charles]

Use of salicylate in treatment of SARS - possible contraindication ( Aspirin makes SARS worse)

[fatima]

aristeides,Thanks for the ping,Bump.

[Buggman]

Captain Trips, anyone?

[VOA]

"The effects of some of these engineered biological agents could be worse that
any disease known to man," the CIA report warned.

All the better to smoke 'em out, hunt 'em down and bring 'em to justice.
The more the better.
The sooner the better.

I suspect the reporter's organization (AFP; French, IIRC) would be shocked to know they
are publishing some of the best reasons to tell Daschle, Hillary!, and the rest
to get the Firetruck out-a-da-way and let our military and intelligence community
(beefed up again and ignoring the Church committee B.S.) go make the world
safe for democracy and civilization.

[presidio9]

M-O-O-N

[Buggman]

. . . and that spells biological terrorism. ;^)

[presidio9]

Laws yes!